


Realisation

by last_illusions (injured_eternity)



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Gen, Pre-show
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-06-21
Updated: 2009-06-21
Packaged: 2017-10-17 08:53:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 143
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/175105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/injured_eternity/pseuds/last_illusions
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Fear was something he learned later.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Realisation

**Author's Note:**

> Warnings: child abuse

He was four years old when he first understood what it meant for someone’s face to turn purple. He’d heard his mother’s stifled yell and gone into the kitchen to see his father strike her hard across the cheek. With all the ingenuity of his youth, he’d asked, “Daddy, why are you hitting Mom?” Then he’d heard his mother scream when David Hotchner turned on his son. He hadn’t understood why until his father’s fist connected with his face. It had broken his nose, and they’d told the hospital he’d fallen down—he’d been too confused to say otherwise, too confused to even recognize he should be afraid. Fear was something he learned later.

He was four the first time his father struck him. He was sixteen the first time he realised not all fathers beat their children.

  
 _Finis._

 _Feedback is always appreciated._


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